The Who play Leeds again

The Who recreated their iconic ‘Live In Leeds’ performance last night (June 17) 36 years after the original gig took place.

The band kicked off their 2006 world tour at the Leeds student union refectory. They opened with ‘Who Are You’ and played such classics as ‘Substitute’ and ‘The Seeker’.

Of the original 1970 gig Townsend told the crowd: “We had just finished an eight-week tour of the US. We were young and fit. Today we are straight out of rehearsal. We will make mistakes, we will be clunky. I will probably lose a fingernail. But it’s great to be back.”

The two surviving members of the band, Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend were augmented by drummer Zak Starkey, Pino Palladino on bass and John ‘Rabbit’ Bundrick on keyboards.

Prior to the gig Townshend and Daltrey unveiled a Civic Trust blue plaque outside the University refectory to commemorate its role as a live rock venue.